Playing video games is the newest way to get rich

A sold-out crowd packed Seattle’s KeyArena in early August for a sporting event with a larger prize pool than any event on the PGA Tour this season. And the participants didn’t even leave their seats.

Competitive video gaming—known to fans and players as eSports—is exploding in popularity across the world. According to Superdata Research, the global eSports market is valued at $612 million, with the Asian market accounting for 61% of that figure. Tournaments are regularly viewed by tens of thousands of fans in large arenas and watched by tens of millions online on streaming services like YouTube, Twitch.tv and even ESPN3. This year, NBA point guard and Dota 2 fanatic Jeremy Lin did color commentary during a tournament.